After months of anticipation your baby is finally here. What follows next will possibly be the most challenging and exciting periods of your life. In my experience the first week in newborn breastfeeding is crucial as it sets the stage for your breastfeeding journey. This article will discuss what you may expect from your baby with regard to breastfeeding in these early days.
In the right circumstances, if you lay a newborn on his mothers tummy immediately after birth, she will push up her mother's body, find the breast and suckle. Isn't this fascinating? It has also been said that feeding within the first two hours of birth allows baby's natural instinct to trigger her sucking reflex which augurs well for feeding. This I believe is the ideal scenario. As babies come in all shapes, sizes, personalities and temperaments however, this may not always the case. Some babies may arrive ravenous, others placid and laid back. As baby is born, hold her skin-to-skin and follow your baby's lead. Relax and give both yourselves time to get things going.
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A few hours after birth, mother nature will usually gift both mother and baby with a hormonal 'tranquilizer' to give you a break after your tiring labour. It is a good idea to sleep while your baby sleeps. As this will be one of the best sleeps you will have for some months ahead. So make the best of it. It is important however, to make sure that baby gets his first feed within the first 24 hours of birth.
Newborn breastfeeding initiation is not always the easiest and smoothest of processes, so it is wise to get help to do this. In maternal care facilities there is usually support staff to help you in the process. It is best to get support quickly to ensure that you get a good start. There might be a breastfeeding station where mothers gather for feeds. These gatherings are comforting as you begin to realise that you are not alone in dealing with the challenges of initiation.
You will see that the early milk or colostrum is thick and dark yellow. This is a nutrient rich, immune boosting substance and is often called 'liquid gold'. This is very important to your child's well-being. So even if baby has not established a good sucking technique hand express the colostrum and feed the child by syringe or spoon.
In time the milk changes consistency and becomes more liquid. Refered to as your 'milk coming in'. This usually happens after 2 to 3 days of the baby's birth. You may find that the day before this happens your baby is most likely to be very frantic and seems hungry all the time. This is not a time to doubt yourself and your decision to breastfeed. Once again follow baby's cue and keep him to the breast as often as he demands, this will stimulate your milk to come in faster and satisfy baby sooner.
Another pitfall to avoid is offering a dummy or bottles, as this will have a negative impact on your milk supply. You need all the stimulation you can at this stage as this is the most natural way to augment your milk supply and ensure a full supply in the long run. So artificially pacifying a baby is counter-productive. Babies also are quick to get lazy if given an easier alternative before he has mastered breastfeeding. It can also cause nipple confusion.
A good sign of things going well in this week is to watch the babies diapers. The norm of one wet nappy in day one and one soiled nappy will increase as the first week progresses. Wet diapers should become more frequent and heavier. Babies stools will change from black stools (meconium) to green (transitional stools) to yellow by about day 4. If the meconium and transitional stools do not change within the first 4 days this is a warning for possible breastfeeding issues. In this instance you should take remedial action immediately. Maintaining a breastfeeding log will be helpful to keep track frequency and changes.
While weight gain is a good measure of long-term breastfeeding success. It is normal by about the 4th day for baby to lose up to 10 percent of his body weight. Although a loss of over 10 percent raises a flag for immediate attention by a professional, some breastfeeding authorities recommend the cut off is 7 percent.
In conclusion, work hard in these early days to boost your milk supply, keeping the following point in mind:
Keep your baby skin-to-skin during most times of the day.
Use gentle pumping to increase your supply.
Feed on cue.
Surround yourself with support.
Arm yourself with knowledge.
Understand that every newborn breastfeeding relationship comes with its own challenges. This is the norm. Persist particularly in the first six weeks and you will be able to take charge of your breastfeeding destiny.
Christmas Sales Winsome Wood S/2 Wood 24-Inch Stools, Espresso Finish 201
Dec 16, 2011 05:03:34
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